Controller



C. H. HODGKINS.

CONTROLLER.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

NJ w M fi. 0 1 H A w H P A A 1 9 1 4 5 0O 1 INVENTOR Mar/e5 H Hadq/r/ns ATTORNEY c. H. HODGKINS'.

CONTHOLkER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. I916 1 ,354, 1 91 P en ed Sept 28, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEE1 2.

i l I] III/1] 1 I I WITNESSES: INVENTOR Z124 M [bar/6g Hadg/r/ns CHARLES H. HODGKINS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A

SYIJVANIA- CORPORATION OF PENN- commune.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t d S t 28 1920 Application filed June 6, 1916. Serial No. 101,905.

To all whom it concern:

Be it known that I CHARLES H. Hone iuNs, a subject of the ing of Great Britain,

and a resident ofPittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of lf'ennsylvanla,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

My 'invention relates to controllers for electric motors and particularly tojcontrollers that are employed in connection with alternating-current motors requiring heavy currents in starting under load.

My invention has for one of itsobjects to provide a mechanism of the character'indiouted abovein which the switch mechanism operates with a quick movement to establish and to open the circuits controlled by it.

A second object of my invention is to pro vide a contr'oller 'havingswitch mechanism that is simple in construction and the coacting parts of "which may be aadn assembled. 1 V

According to the present invention, Iprovide a controller havipg switch finechani sm constructed of punched ,parts that may" be readily assembled without the use of pins or rivets such asj are necessary in switch mecha.

nism of the usual construction. The'coactswa'gedprojecting fportions which constitute pivotal connections. The movable switch members are provided with relatively short lever arms that are-controlled by rotatable cams to elfect a quick or snap movement in opening andin closing the switches.

The details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view, partially'in elevation and partially in section, of a controller constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig; 2 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, but taken at right angles thereto. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are views of details ofrthe switch mechanism.

Referrin particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the control er comprises a casing 1 having a stationary part 2 that is adapted to be secured to any suitable support and a removable part 3 which may constitute a tank for oil in case the controller is employed in connection with high-voltage circuits. The part 3 is attached to the stationary part 2 by means of latching mechanisms 4. A cover ing parts are provided with member 5 is loosely hinged to the member 3 by means of mutually engaging hook por tions 6 and is secured in position by a latchmg mechanism 7 that is located at the top of the casing.

' The switchmechanism comprises two rows of stationary contact members 8 and 9 that are mounted uponsuitable supports 10 of in sulating material and are respectivelv located near the front and the rear of the casmg Movable contact members 12 and .13, WlllCl'l coact with the stationary contact members 8 and 9, respectively, are secured to members 14 that are pivotally supported by stationary members 15.

The switch mechanism is controlled by a series of cam members 16 which correspond, 1n number, to the oppositely disposed pairs of switches. The cam members 16, which are of insulating material, such as, for example, fiber, are mounted upon a polygonal shaft 17 and are "separated-by spacing sleeves 18, also of insulating material. The shaft 17 is mounted for rotation in bearings 19 that are secured to the side Walls of the casing. An operating handle 20 is secured to one end of the shaft 17.

The operating shaft 17 and its connected parts are normally retained in their respective illustrated or inoperative positions by a centering device 21 which comprises a sta tionary pin 22, two oppositely disposed curved arms 23 that are pivotally supported by the shaft 17, a spring 2 1 which resists the separation of the arms 23 and a pin 25 that is mounted upon an arm 26. The arm 26 is secured to the shaft 17 for rotation therewith and extends upwardly therefrom.

Means are provided, also, for insuring that the operating handle can be moved in one direction only from its inoperative position. A pivotally mounted latching member 27 is provided with a notch 28, one side 29 of which is inclined to the axis of the member 27 and projects laterally beyond the other side of the notch which is normal to the axis of the shaft. This arrangement insures that the switch mechanism can be 0perated only in a definite sequence in starting the motor. When the pin 25 is seated in the notch 28 and the handle is operated from its central position to its starting position, the pin 25 is actuated to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, to raise the latching member 27,

whereupon the' :haiidle may lie actuated? iiito" assume the relative positions? illustrate-cl the opposite direction to establish the runin Figs. and (3. ."i tllli'tl arm is bent at ning por nectiensmfi-themotor; if the handle engintermediate portionqt count with the ismg ved rap idly. spring HA hm: 52 is rii eteil; 91' ptheru ise 5 The arm 26 is provided, at itsupper end, suitably connected to the members 3.4;, with a projecting pin or rod 30 which ciiets ifrying the one or the other of the centeet with a latching mechanism 31 to retain the""'msmbers l2 and 123, as the (11a? may be. nrmtflfierrdf its: pomibcted mechnnism 'in -theii" respective running positi 11 he lz tehing, arms 48, which are of resilient; nir-terini. mechanism 31 comprises' zipii otiillyiiiiiunt- ':ii'e'sepzfriitedtii ii siiliicient LiiSi'iUK't. to per- .ed er 3? thehis-paggi gleel 1 1mg]; 3 3, mi the insertion oi r r o l ler 53 which ism- 9 9 1? sis: eke h We a... Fi -nwe. e -ee s! EPP T'WQ b We P-" nqekfiB 1S Pi'QYI ngtch 3'} and an tlonsufiQi The :nrms 44 of the sign Lionnrr 4 I i Q v v! then spreednpnrt in order thehiinilleifiolarelretainedin reFipQ-=, bets l aald l ii ar P ii inimized by tirer irining pesitioiis ljinthe. eetrozii zgflet the p iejeetions 494mm the holes {15. The

p 36; exeeptTupon;feili re of jqltgge penmg spring i7 is then inserted between the :lllll' of the circi it ofntheelec trgmagnet .coil 46 and 51 may flexible other abnormal eonditiims e-tobe is'se'ii'red to fljgllil l il ili gp051 55. ea ed v H ..,The ,be;iring ine nbers lilfor siippm'ting The cover member 5. i,s p ;qviclecl iyith the operating ishaft17 lll constructed by member of insi lnt n .izzigiteimlfilnelgpro forming iplateime mbers 56 that are pro J Q own velrdly a .15 QP d fiO videdywithsiiitllblecentral ,o1)ei1iiigs 5 7 and gzigqthe 5131x 3 imqglse t hook rnemhers fi nnd thencestiiig bearing i erticelpositionjvhen theeo ver 2}. ingm hers 59 "'o'f ,',si itehle hearingmateriel form,en.integrelg,strueture; To secure the position, the pli te members is removed from pfigi sng; By meensqofl,

this girrg iigement, :1 beuning$..1 9=in. the Q f iiiBi Q Q i .fi e e fs fli l i 6: I mech n sm tq remegnflh its..r 1nningw pqsir suitab 'c'dnneet'edto the casing 1. A a v lv a I It nmyhenssumed that the switch mecha- .'lhe ..se :er;i[, wts pi .a gtgansiermen 3S, nism;is.elfietrieeliyfeennecterl ineny suitable hiqh i .CQ qgdil -bii'c tfivifihgtlle iuw? niel-nn er. (iioti'shownl to the primary windto reduce the voltage iipplied the 1, ings qf an ilter niiting eiirrent motoe anti in ,startin nreheld in .eperetiveQnehwimi tliz trvthe .iiag'iouslpa ifts oec' i11')jf"tlieir respecte enclrot er Hind {Lle.$l1 1l .t0;.tllfiqcfislilgtiiieiilliistra'ted or inoperativepositions. To 41) m e fl-by me of bel 3 imm t g stzirtf IG lIDQiZO I th p i-atiii handle 20' is v sleeves'aiO. x i use block 11 is seenreilxo the first, -iletiieted, rotate the shaft '17 in a tmnsforn1er38 11nd, aeeordingly supported clockwisedi'reetiom-as vicwedin Fig. 2. The t iq bolts 39- cam members l6, which rotate with the shaft Refereneeumziy noir..,be hadrto F gs. 2 to 17, a.nd are in engagement with the rollers 8,- .inclnsiee,. .in 1\Yhicl 1 .the 118,128,113; of he: 53, then permit the springs 47 to effect the switch mechanisrmnre clearly, shown fills engagement of content inemhers12 and 8 to members wearer constructed.by pune ling i establislbthe starting connections-of the inosubstantiz lly erueiferin .nieniher. from :1 tor. During the operation just. deseriberl, sheet of metal and then bendingzi pair of the arm 26 and the pi n25 more to the right oppositely extendinfg arms A l, which here and the latch member 27is raised to its up been provided with 1oles-45 near their outer permost position 'by the 115112;),

extremities, at right .angles to the other .KV-hen the motor has attained a desired arms. A. third arm 46 is alsoiient at right speed, thehandle 20 is eetna'tei-l quickly in angles to the plane of the ieeniherto (fins-iithe o 'pos'ite-direetion to its running position tube a support for a spring 47. to e ect a quick sepz ret'ionp'f the .contnct The movable members 14 "of he switch membersJlZ and '8' and to" permit a corremechzinisin are similarly formed by punchspondingly quick engagement of the coning from a sheet of metal. .Two arms 18. tact members 9 and 13. A rapid movement which extend at an zingle from the renminof the operating niecha'nism is made necescc ing arms, ltlfi swnged etintermediate pnrsz ry by 'rea'son'ef the feet that the latch tions to .provhie annular projeQti nsiQ. member :27 engages the p n 25 and retains The extremities of the arms 4:8 are provided thevarious :pz rts" in the respertive inoperawith similar projections 50 which extend in tive positions unless the' pin 25 is moved the opposite direction. The arms 48 are across the notch 28 beforejthe latch memher then bent at right ZlDglQSlIOVVZIlfi each other 2? is actuated by gravity to engage the pm.

In a's's'emhling the switch mechgmism; the

l i n i to gerz uttheensert zm 9. the movable men s idi resitien that the ennnhir' YP 1 shunt undue-tie; 5-3

may -lje el'ejgbrieiilly welded or 'otherwise When the melee and the-pin 30 are moved to the running position, the latter engages the arm'32 to actuate the latter itoit svertical position in whichit is retainedby the electromagnet 36. The book member 33 is in such position that it is not engaged bythe pin 30 during the movement above described. As the arm 32 is moved to its verticalposition, the hook member 33 moves upwardl and the pin 30 is thereby seated in theiiotc 34. The arm"'26iand the'various operating parts to'lwhi'ch it is" connected are retained in their respective runningpositio'ns under all normalcon'd'itionjs. 'lThearm fl isreleased, howeven l upon a failurdbfvolta'g'e and the resultant 'deiinergization offthe'mag net 36 orfuponlthe openm'gof thec'ircuit of the latter any su table means. 'The arm 32 will be withdrawn from its vertical pjosi tion to release the arm 26 in case the cover member '5 is removed from'the casing while the various parts are in operative position by reason of the engagement of the arm 32 by the member 37.

In case the arm 32 is released by the elec tromagnet 36, the arm 26 will be returned automatically to its intermediate position by the centering device 21. When the arm 26 is actuated in either direction from its illustrated position, the pin 25 causes a movement of one of the arms 23 about its point of pivotal support. The spring 24, which is attached to the other arm 23, is placed under tension, since the last mentioned arm is held transformer, a fuse block and a containing in its normal position by the stationary pin 22. It is obvious, therefore, that movement of the arm 26 in either direction places the spring 24: under tension and that the arm 26 is restored to its intermediate position when it is released by the latching mechanism 31 or when the handle 20 is released by the operator without first securing the switch mechanism in position by means of the latching mechanism 31.

It will be noted that I provide a controller having an operating mechanism for insuring the quick engagement and disengagement of the contact members of the switch mechanism. The bearing members for the operating shaft are of simple construction and are arranged to be attached in position with a minimum amount of labor. The switching mechanism is constructed of parts that may be formed by punching and which may be assembled without the use of bolts, rivets or similar devices. The switching mechanism may be readily taken apart for the purpose of inspection or repair. The fuse block is located in such position that the fuses carried by it may be readily accessible for replacement or inspection without the necessity of disturbing the electrical connections of the controller and without danger of contact with the terminals or conductors within the controller casing. The

ofsaid membersl 2. In a controller, the combination with a casing having 'a stationary portion and a removable portion, and an actuating member,'of a b'earingmember for said actuating memberfianda member rigidly secured to' said bearing member for securing said bearing member 'tosaid stationary portion and havingmeans for securing said removable portionto said stationary portion.

3. In a controller, the combination with a casing, and an actuating member, of a bearing member for said actuating member, and a member molded therein for securing said bearing member to said casing.

4. In a controller, the combination with a switching device, and a casing therefor, of means for controlling said switchingdevice, and a bearing member for said controllin means havin means rigidly secured to said bearing mem er for attaching said bearing member to said casing.

5. In a controller, the combination with a casing for said devices, of common means for retaining the parts of said transformer in operative relation and for securing said transformer and said fuse block to said casin 6. n a controller, the combination with a member having a plurality of projections at right angles thereto, of a member pivotally mounted upon a pair of said projections, a spring between said pivotally mounted member and a third of said projections, and a contact member carried by one of said members.

7. In a controller, a sheetmetal member having a plurality of arms provided with annular projections, several of said projections forming bearings for said member, a roller carried by others of said projections, and a contact finger supported by said member.

8. In a controller, the combination with a stationary contact member and a stationary sheet-metal support, of a sheet-metal member carried by said support, said member having integral bearing portions for coacting with said support, and a movablecontact member secured thereto.

9. In a controller, the combination with a member having a body portion and a plurality of projecting arms and means for cosaid supporting means and said member and n rontact elemen earried by said body portion.

10. In a, controlier itbie coznbinntiop with a member" having a.plurnlity ofi projeetin and engaging sa d contact member, and

thereby having ,integnal ,annular-promot ng portions, of n member, ,pwota liy support Portions w wide-warmsasiugiw we m l me f r m eting wi h and nular projections, and means ijor aetunting said rotatable member 11. In .a eontroller, with a pair ofimembers baningam, ofigntegpal projecting portions 011-3 part of sa d arms for providing a pivotal connection ,to the other arms.

12. In .a icontml ler, a pair .of members having arms,- of integral annular projecting portions on ,a part of the ,eombinntion with i said arms for providing a pivotal conneetiol'i to the other arms.

13, In a eontroller, n stationery member provided with a pair of oppositely extending arms endn spring supporting arm, 2L eontnct member pivotally mounted, between said first arms, e spring on said supporting arm means jfior opposing the action of said p ing-i; v 1

Inn controller, the combination with ds upport, of'e member secured thereto having a pair ofnrms, ,1 contact member pivotallysupported between said arms, 1 flexible sl nnt eounected to said contact member, and .eomimon gneans securing said shunt and said first-named ineniberto saigl support.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subseribed my name this 31st day of May,

CHARLES H. HODGK INS. 

